AWOL Adventures commissioned Garry Gnapp, of Activate Action Marketing, to develop an App for our Adventure Tourism business.

Initially, we were impressed with the proposal and communication from Garry and his ideas for our App sounded great. During the very busy start-up phase of our business, Garry got to work on developing the App and we found it easy to work with him. He was organised in his approach to obtaining the information he needed for the App, not only that but he sourced much of the copy himself and worked on graphics and other elements off his own initiative.

When we were presented with our completed App we were completely blown away. It far surpassed what we were expecting. Its functionality is interactive and exciting.

The App has served as a valuable addition to our business growth and customer service. It has also enabled us to collaborate with other local businesses by featuring their business profile for a small fee. This is an area we hope to expand on in the future.

Overall, we found working with Activate Action Marketing an easy, efficient and enjoyable experience. He delivered each stage of the App on time according to his proposal and his ideas and initiative went far beyond what we expected. Garry has lots of great marketing ideas and has helped us in other areas to market AWOL Adventures to local and international markets.

We highly recommend working with Garry Gnapp at Activate Action Marketing.”

- Tom Rayner - Managing Director. -

“When we were approached by Garry Gnapp of Activate Action Marketing and asked if we had considered having a Mobile App for our busy Real Estate business the answer was no. To be honest we didn't know what we didn't know. When he showed us the exciting benefits that having our own Mobile App offered, our interest quickly perked up.

As a proactive Real Estate Agent, we know we must always strive to stay ahead of our competitors and with what Activate Action Marketing were offering, we knew could do just that - so we took the mobile plunge!

It has turned out to be a great decision - we love our Mobile App and I have no hesitation in recommending doing business with Activate Action Marketing - with the wealth of ideas that Garry has shown us, it is exciting to know that our Mobile App will help us to achieve our one driving goal - to serve our clients better in what is now a mobile world!”

Peter Reading - Principal First National Real Estate

“Garry has gone beyond my wildest expectations as a business mentor and coach. His integrity and willingness to share his knowledge and experience is not often found in today's dog-eat-dog world. I strongly recommend anybody to do what I have done and ASK him for help - then soak up and apply Garry's enthusiasm and knowledge.”
Geoff Barker - Thailand

“Activate Action Marketing has been a massive influence in guiding me through my business planning.

I have gained great insight into what it takes to succeed in business and place Garry's advice in very high regard. His unique knowledge of running a business is backed up with his genuine attitude to helping people.

When he says he'll call or get something done, he will and in today's ever more competitive market, it's good to know you have someone reliable on your side.”

- Richard Prescott - Gold Coast Australia -

“I met Garry through a mutual friend about 10 years ago.

Since I started running my own business, Garry has been patiently and regularly guiding and mentoring me through my ups and downs, helping me out in so many ways.

I have always found him willing and able to help me along the way and have no hesitation in recommending Activate Action Marketing. In my opinion, you will not find anybody better to support you in your business.”

-  Jan Buch Hansen – Denmark -

"I’m delighted to be able to write this recommendation and endorsement for the Application created by Garry Gnapp Activate Action Marketing for the recent 2018 World Parachuting Championship (WPC).

I was the Assistant Chief Judge for the WPC and as such closely supported an international team of Chief Judges, Event Judges and Judges both prior to and for the duration of the event.

To say that this was the biggest and most complex event ever taken on by the Australian Parachute Federation and the Australian skydiving community would be an understatement. Prior to the event, the planning, coordination, expense, marketing, plus the myriad of logistical issues were simply huge. All of this then culminated with the arrival of around 900 competitors, delegates, officials, judges, and other specialists - literally from every corner of the world.

This was an intricate event, especially as it was held right in the middle of the Gold Coast in Queensland – one of the busiest centres of tourism, commerce, recreation and suburban activities in Australia.
One thing that was critical to the safe, enjoyable and efficient running of the 2018 WPC was an ability for all present to receive and share information – especially when events or other routine technology turned in an unexpected and less than ideal direction.

The WPC Application that Garry Gnapp created was absolutely the best I’ve seen to achieve ALL NEEDS of those present, both physically present at the Championships - as well as numerous folks following the event from afar. Those with whom I had professional contact and constant interaction over the event soon learned to go to the App for information and answers to questions before coming to me. They soon learned to rely on the App for their innumerable questions and need for information.

In fact, without the WPC App, I know that my job as Assistant Chief Judge would have been far harder than it was – and I have Garry Gnapp and his WPC App to thank for that. The same is true from other officials I have spoken to.

A prime example of the App coming to the rescue was one morning, the manifest system was unusable. The manifest system is critical to any skydiving event – and without it the competition would have stopped, quite literally. Garry Gnapp instantly came to the rescue and added a manifest function to the App. The day was, quite literally, saved.

I made it a daily task to chat with as many competitors and officials at the event as possible. My wish was to get feedback on how the WPC was “delivering” to their expectations. Without any prompting, the vast majority commented on how the WPC App was delivering information far beyond what was pertinent to them.

Many commented that the 'Gnapp App' was the new worldwide standard for skydiving events and indeed skydiving centres.

So I can recommend Garry Gnapp and his abilities with total confidence. Certainly, for a skydiving application, he has proven that HE WILL DELIVER at an above-expectation and exceptional level. The same will be for any sporting event. And likewise, for any task Garry takes on. I’m certain of this – and you have my word on it."

Neil (fergs) Fergie
Canberra, Australia

"Every once in a while, something comes along in our sport that’s a game-changer. Apps aren’t new, of course, but a dedicated app for an international skydiving championship has only been done once before.

The Aussie hosts of the 2018 World Skydiving Championships did it beautifully, starting with an iconic photo and fetching art: Pretty cover, but inside, you discover an intuitive, user-friendly architecture.

Need info on the bus schedule? Check. Want the latest scores? Check. Want to watch videos? Check! Click on the SkydiveTV icon and watch it all in glorious HD. Need advice on local businesses and restaurants? Check. Any exclusive local discounts for WPC attendees? Check! What about that post-meet vacation plan, got anything to help with planning? Check! What about a place to offer suggestions or just whine? Got that covered too, Millennials. That, and so much more:

Who is the genius behind all this? One of APF’s own, Garry Gnapp (such an ‘apt’ last name!), who poured heart and soul into the project, and then papered the walls with a delightful collection of photos.

Having attended dozens of world meets going all the way back to 1976, I can confidently proclaim, “Never has so much (truly useful information and content) been provided to the skydiving community.”

Well done, Garry, well done, APF!
James L. Hayhurst
FAI Controller

Thankfully, that wasn't the case at this year's World Parachuting Championships hosted in Australia.

Being a literal world away on the east coast of the United States, I was able to feel connected to this event because of the mobile app created for WPC. I was able to chat, watch videos and keep up with live scoring...all in one place from my mobile phone.

THANK YOU!

This should be the standard for any major skydiving competition, event or busy commercial skydiving center moving forward.

Garry Gnapp built an intuitive, well-designed app that solved all my pain points when trying to enjoy a skydiving competition.

I would recommend Garry to create an app for any skydiving business or event as it was first class in design and usability."

James La Barrie
DropZone Marketing

"To Garry Gnapp
World Parachuting Championships App Designer and Manager

Hi Garry,  With reference to your role at the World Parachuting Championship as the official event App designer and manager, we’d like to offer you our congratulations on the outstanding success of your App, and what it meant to the event.

Resoundingly positive feedback came from all levels of consumer at the event, from event organisers to team managers, to athletes, to judges, to volunteers and the general public, all engaged easily and were highly impressed by the breadth of the information, the presentation, the communications and the entertainment the app provided.

As “front desk” volunteer managers for most of the event we found ourselves manning “general enquiries”. It was a joy to reach for my iPhone and direct event consumers to your app for the information they required. Uptake was instant and easy, use of the App spread exponentially.

Your accessibility during the event was wonderful, updates made in a timely fashion and on demand, we thank you so much for the services you provided and for the professionalism and cutting edge communications you brought to all.

There is no doubt that your App significantly contributed to the outstanding success of the First Class International Skydiving Event : 2018 FAI World Parachuting Championships on the Gold Coast."

Regards,
Jon Kent & Leanne Critchley
WPC Project Manager WPC Assistant Project Manager

"When the Organising Committee discussed what was required to achieve the ambitious goal of having the 2018 World Championships in Australia regarded as the "Best Ever", the mobile App was just another item on the Agenda. Something with which most of us had very little practical experience with.

It initially did not receive much focus as other more critical aspects of the organising occupied our time and energies. We indeed were fortunate that Garry approached us and offered his expertise.

The platform that he provided was something that as a competitor, I was amazed at how easy it was for competitors & managers as well as friends and family to use. When they had any questions about virtually anything that they may have needed to know, it provided answers. In hindsight, it should not have been so surprising, but the fact is that no-one had utilised an app like this before in any competition I had been to.

The ease with which competitors could find out about their events, other teams, locations, facilities and special offers was highly appreciated and commented on by many.

I’d highly commend anyone contemplating a future WPC to communicate with Garry.
He has set a benchmark here!"

Mike Dyer,
Chair, WPC Organising Committee 2018.

"During the WPC 2018 I was the project manager for Registration and Manifest, as such I utilised the WPC app extensively during this period and worked alongside Garry for the duration.

In relation to the app, I found this an extremely useful tool for both myself and to point competitors/officials/spectators towards. The app was able to answer all the questions people had and pointed everyone in the right direction.

One of the most popular features of the app was the photos, this provided an opportunity for people to upload photos and a fun competition also took place. The photo section was a great avenue for favourite moments in time to be shared and created a buzz around the drop zone, people finding photos and reposting via social media.

Garry also spent extensive time and effort taking photos during the meet and these were much sought after as memories for people. Garry had a great knack for taking photos that were natural and showed the essence of what was occurring.

In relation to working with Garry with the app, I found this a breeze, manifest was required to regularly post updates on the app, and Garry produced an easy-to-read manual to assist us with navigation as well as some personalised training.

The app was very straightforward and quick to use, we could very easily inform the relevant audience of the message we needed to convey. Feedback from competitors was that the app was their go-to tool, they relied on this for information and had the app open at all times to receive messages.

I really enjoyed working with Garry, he has a friendly and can-do persona and I hope to collaborate again with him in the future, thanks Garry!"

Katie Fluin
WPC 2018 Registration and Manifest Project Manager

"Garry Gnapp is indeed a man on a mission. He is about helping people and this comes through in everything he says and does. I have found Garry to be relatable, supportive, knowledgeable and professional. He is a man of integrity and has an incredible amount of knowledge which he so readily shares with others.

I am very glad to have met Garry and I appreciate the help he has extended to me in my business."

Ainsley Shepherd - QLD Australia

"I’m delighted to be able to write this recommendation and endorsement for the Mobile Application created by Garry Gnapp of Activate Action Marketing, for the recent Murwillumbah Arts Trail 2019.

This was an intricate event this year, for the first time combining several major events into one, namely The MAT, The Kinship Festival, The Makers & Finders Market and the Tweed Foodie Fest.

In the slew of activities required to host a community event such as this, the decision to organise a communications app was made pretty much at the last minute, given our other priorities.

The app created by Garry in such a short time was comprehensive and included not just the MAT, comprising 87 artists and over 1000 artworks, but all the combined events making it easy for attendees to see what was on, when and where and even get directions to the venue doors!

As treasurer, of course, my main concerns related to the Art sales which the app enabled us, for the first time, to track and audit in detail. Garry went beyond the call of duty here and provided detailed spreadsheets promptly after the event, cleverly arranged to show the sales of each and every artist and the final amount we owed to each one. Post-event this was a huge relief and significant time saver.

Without listing them all, suffice to say, the 2019 MAT App offered so many benefits for all involved from the organisers, artists and sponsors and of course the attendees.

Garry's accessibility running up to and during the event was wonderful, updates made in a timely fashion and on-demand.

We thank you so much for the services you provided and for the professionalism and cutting-edge communications you brought to all."

Kerry Turner
Creative Caldera Committee
2019 Treasurer
Tweed Foodie Festival Director

"Garry Gnapp developed a progressive web app to provide the online data 'spine' for the Murwillumbah Arts Trail 2019. This was developed on short notice when it
became apparent Creative Caldera, the parent organisation did not have the
resources to effectively manage the income generated by 77 artists over 14 venues
if cash sales were the norm.

The app also contained event ticketing, links to the map, sponsorship deals and a
host of other functionality which will give the event the capacity to grow. The phone based tracking system told patrons the nearest gallery or event.

I was one of the key members of the organising group. Mr Gnapp developed the application in a very short period of time to the level of sophistication that Creative Caldera was able to insist that there be no cash sales for major artworks. Only items under $20 could be sold for cash with the commission being paid to the event's patron organisation on a goodwill basis.

The app also provided a precise inventory of art for sale and enabled organisers to centrally track the sales on which 15% commission was charged. All monies from sales were distributed to artists after the event via a centralised payout system.

There was considerable resistance to the app and its introduction, with artists
demanding the capacity to take cash sales. We were able to successfully insist
because the app was so functional and well suited to the business of running a
multiple-venue arts event. The resistance fell away when people understood.

Resistance to change and the notion of 'newfangled' device/web-based functioning led to the initial loud but numerically few protests. Most artists made a diligent, ultimately successful attempt at using it, supported by our (Garry's and my) insistence that we would assist as much as required as long as the client took some steps towards engaging with the app.

Some stubbornly did not. However other artists and volunteers stepped in to assist
because patrons could buy work through any device anywhere, such was its
flexibility and ease of use.

This strategy worked very well and some of our most stubborn opposition became
our staunchest supporters - they actually took on the self-appointed role of helping
others with transactions in the major shared galleries.

The application itself became the principal web presence for Murwillumbah Arts Trail
2019. I invite prospective clients of Activate Mobile Marketing to inspect this strategy in detail. Impressive and sophisticated.

It was not all smooth sailing. If it was seamlessly easy in my view we were not trying hard enough or something important was seriously overlooked.

Garry and I fronted a rather tense meeting of more than 50 artists when we took the
decision that there would be no cash sales. Garry was excellent at assuaging their
fears and walking them through the functionalities that would ultimately support and handle their art sales.

The net result was a highly successful tool for running a complex, organisationally
messy event that led to accountable sales and income structure while providing
patrons with a wealth of information, venue maps and ticketing options.

In summary, I highly recommend Activate Action Marketing. Garry's expertise is
second to none. He's easy to work with and prepared to understand the needs of the
contracting organisation to build an application that is fit for purpose and works very well.

Pat Miller
Dip. T. (Griffith), B. Ed. (UCQ), Grad. Dip. Spec. Ed. (Griffith), B.A. (UQ), M. Ed. (JCU) JP (Qual, Qld)., JP (NSW)

“It has honestly been a real pleasure to work with Garry Gnapp. He always makes himself available to support & guide me in the development of my business.

His knowledge in all aspects of marketing never ceases to amaze me and it is great to be able to leverage his experience to help build our business.”

Steven Pate - Forster Australia

With regard to The MAT 2019 Mobile App created by Garry Gnapp's Activate Action Marketing, as President of the Creative Caldera Committee in 2019, I must say the organising committee was excited to have this new tool which really helped to bring the MAT into the 21st century!

Within a very short time, we were testing the beta version. Garry had done his own research and found relevant information and content. From this, he built a great-looking app, with content nicely arranged into key areas.

I made it a daily task to chat with as many exhibiting artists as well as visitors to the event as possible. My aim was to get feedback on how the MAT was meeting their expectations. The vast majority commented on how the MAT App was delivering information far beyond anything they had experienced during the previous MAT events.

Garry also spent extensive time and effort taking photos during the event. Obviously, Garry has a talent for taking photos and the galleries he created captured the weekend atmosphere and serve as a great archive of the event.

There is no doubt that the 2019 MAT App significantly contributed to the outstanding success of the MAT event in 2019 with the town of Murwillumbah buzzing like I have never seen before.

Circumstances meant that we were only able to give the go-ahead at a very late stage and I am confident that with more time to train artists on its use, more time to market and promote and more time to test and tweak, the MAT app will serve as a key tool for the event in years to come.

So I can recommend Garry Gnapp and his abilities with total confidence and he has proven that he will deliver above expectations.

Michael Simmons

2019 Creative Caldera Committee President

Mount Warning Tours CEO

"I first met Garry Gnapp at a local business breakfast meet-up. I went there to showcase a new product I had imported. Little did I know on that fateful day that meeting him would change my life.

Garry became my mentor.

Garry saw something in me that I didn't know was there and over the years he has encouraged me to be the best version of myself that I could possibly be. Just quietly I call him my fearless leader, because he is certainly fearless and a great leader, bringing out the best in everyone.

He shows people how it's done. Leading by example. For anyone thinking of working with or hiring Garry, I say to you.....go for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. One thing I can guarantee, Activate Action Marketing and Garry will be there right there beside you all the way."

Peta Hughes - NSW Australia